About the Centre

The New Zealand Social Innovation and Entrepreneurship Research Centre (SIERC), established August 2010, is dedicated to providing a hub for interdisciplinary, academic research in social innovation and entrepreneurship. The purpose of the Centre is to conduct, support and disseminate research that contributes to advancing social innovation and entrepreneurship in New Zealand and internationally. It encompasses research that fits within a scholarly and flexible interpretation of social innovation and entrepreneurship.

Social innovation concerns the application of new ideas and processes or the reapplication of existing ideas in new ways to areas of social value and need and/or with the design and intention of delivering social impact. Often a collaborative approach is employed to provide innovative solutions that help create social change in a myriad of areas ranging, for instance, from environmental sustainability and green issues to public and community service initiatives. Social entrepreneurship relates to entrepreneurial action by organisations and individuals that creates significant social value. It engages with opportunities that create this value, embraces innovation and seeks out better ways to utilise existing resources and build new resources. Research in this domain can include ecopreneurship and green entrepreneurship; sustainability and ethical issues, in addition to not-for-profit, community, charity and philanthropic businesses that have an entrepreneurial approach.

Our Emblem

Harakeke or New Zealand flax has been chosen as the SIERC emblem. Harakeke (Phormium tenax) is different from the European variety of flax with deep meaning for Maori, as well as being a resilient plant used in traditional Maori weaving. It symbolises the concerted effort and resilience necessary for social innovation and change; the collaborative research approach and partnerships embodied in SIERC; and our commitment to entwining research excellence with knowledge advancement in a real world context.

Our Whakatauki (Maori proverb)

Our Mission

To be a centre of research excellence dedicated to advancing social innovation and entrepreneurship in New Zealand and internationally.

Our Vision

Excellence in social innovation and entrepreneurship research

Our Objectives

To become the pre-eminent research centre and knowledge hub for social innovation and entrepreneurship in New Zealand.

In association with Government - central, regional and local; professional, business and community groups, to contribute toward social innovation in New Zealand.

To undertake collaborative research within Massey University and with other national and international research groupings.

To provide collective mentorship and support to associates in the Centre.

To develop research partnerships with social goal focused organisations and individuals.

To assist undergraduate and postgraduate students to develop research capability, conduct rigorous research and produce quality research outputs in social entrepreneurship and associated subject areas.

To assist undergraduate and postgraduate students to develop leadership and advocacy capabilities relevant to creating social value.

To attract and support national and international students, scholars and postdoctoral fellows.

To contribute to building leadership imbued with social values and vision.

To focus attention on the importance of social goals in business through teaching, research, professional and community presentations and publications.

To obtain internal and external funding to undertake the work of the Centre.

Latest News

MOU with Ākina Foundation

Massey University and non-profit organisation Ākina have signed an agreement on 8 September, that will see SIERC and Ākina collaborate in a range of areas, including research, the exchange of data, funding applications, workshops and seminars, case studies and publicising best practice in social enterprise.

SIERC Associates Professor Anne de Bruin and Dr Loren Stangl will also work to evaluate the impact on participants of Ākina’s exciting new Launchpad accelerator programme, which aims to assist liftoff of 10 new social enterprises. Ākina will work with 10 teams with big ideas to transform them into self-sustaining organisations over a six-month long programme commencing in October 2014.

Past News

Akina Launchpad for Social Enterprises

Social Innovation and Entrepreneurship Conference 2013

SIERC was pleased to host the
2013 Massey University Social Innovation and Entrepreneurship Conference, 27-29 November at Massey University's Innovation Campus, in Albany, Auckland, New Zealand.Conference Proceedings are now available
»» view conference proceedings (8.0MB)
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View conference website http://sierc.massey.ac.nz/conference

International Comparative Social Enterprise Models Project

A group of researchers have committed to contributing New Zealand submissions to the International Comparative Social Enterprise Models (ICSEM) project ... read more

Special Issue: Journal of Social Entrepreneurship: Contextual Perspectives

Seminar Archives

Social Enterprise Mapping Survey

This survey has revealed a social enterprise sector in New Zealand which is relatively mature and diverse. A copy of the report summarising the survey findings is available on the Department of Internal Affairs' website.